Friday, March 7, 2014

Incredible Legacy: Mary Jackson

Her friendly smile and kind words have been staples at
LeTourneau for years. As we close Women of Aviation week, LETU would be amiss not
to honor one of the women who has helped so many of our aviation students
succeed over the past several decades.

Mary with the Student Wives Club, 1968

Mary Jackson came to LeTourneau from West Virginia in 1966
with her husband, Mike, who enrolled as a student to study chemistry. She then started
working as a secretary in the maintenance department.

They lived in married student housing, and she recounted
their first days:

“We lived on campus in a small trailer. We bought it sight
unseen. It was very, very small, and we came here with a baby. We made it work
– it was 100 degrees out in the middle of July with no air conditioning. At
that time there was a swimming pool outside where Solheim is now and so we just
lived at that pool.”

Jackson recalls “Mom and Pop LeTourneau” with fondness.

“Mom LeTourneau had a lot of us gals over. She would always
have, several times a semester, the students in for visiting.”

“It was really neat for me, and as I’ve gotten older, I’ve
hopefully had that same sort of influence on the younger gals here.”

Jackson was asked to start working at the School of
Aeronautical Science in 1982 as Academic Secretary. She officially retired this
past January, but still works part-time. She’s seen quite the growth in the
department; when she first started, there were four instructors and 18
students.

She says of working with LETU students over the years; “I’ve
just loved the students. I love them a lot and that’s probably why I’ve stayed
so long. I’m not in the middle of them right now, but it’s been a joy of mine
to work with them.”

She describes the students as “top-notch.” There’s pride in
her voice when she talks about their academic and career success.

“It’s not an easy program, especially with all the other
classes they have to take, but they’ve done so well.”

She also said she enjoyed giving baby and wedding showers
for students and student wives, or simply inviting them into her home.

“It’s just been fun to have them to over to the house and get to
know them on a different level than just seeing them when they’re here for
classes. It’s just been a joy.”